Panteg Hospital, Pontypool and “Retlas” revealed

PANTEG HOSPITAL

Panteg Hospital was built in 1837 as a workhouse. As it was built on Coedygric Road, Griffithstown, it isn’t surprising that it became known as Coedygric Institute.

Later it became a mental hospital for women. Some of these could be seen from time to time walking the streets of Griffithstown in their drab white uniforms. They were in a crocodile formation with two men leading and two men at the rear.

It might be because of this that there was a section of the hospital for mentally ill women in the late fifties when I used to visit the hospital once a month on behalf of the Toc H Film Unit to show the patients a film. This was before television really took over. Once inside we were locked in. I well remember my first visit. I needed to plug the projector into the electricity supply and I knew that there was both DC and AC available in that section. As no member of staff was present I asked some of the patients which plug was used by my predecessor. They confidently pointed out one of the plugs which I then assumed was the AC supply. Unfortunately they were wrong and I plugged in to the DC supply. When I switched the projector on I blew the whole supply for that section of the hospital.

It became Panteg Hospital after World War II and had one of the best maternity sections in Wales. Immediately below the hospital is Coed-y-Gric Farm which is one of the oldest buildings in Wales.

If any visitors have information about the hospital building, particularly any photographs, or memories of working there, please contact me.

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“RETLAS”

In my posting about the Welsh international rugby player Cecil Pritchard, I mentioned that I had obtained my information about him from a page in one of the club’s programmes and that it was written by someone with the pseudonym of “Retlas”. I asked whether anyone knew who he was and my friend, Eric Smith, has come up with the answer. It’s the reversed surname of Jack Salter who for many years was Editor of the Free Press.

Jack Salter was very active in the Pontypool area in a number of diverse ways. He was the first Secretary of the Pontypool District Motor and Motorcycle Club and also a member of the Trevethin cricket Club. My uncle, Granville Hughes, was also a member as were two West Mon masters: Messrs Whitty and Mosely.